Defining Your Target Customers Through a B2B Buyer Persona

Define your target customer and deliver the right marketing message at the right time to increase revenue.

In today’s world, digital technology rules. With every beep , tweet , and ding, infinite amounts of information are harassing consumers, giving them the power and accessibility to educate themselves and take control of their buyer’s journey. That said, it has become more valuable than ever to understand who your customers are, what they want, and when they want it. According to the Harvard Business Review, customer understanding is 1.3x more important than other priorities for leading marketers.

But what is customer understanding? It is the visualization of your average consumer. For B2B marketers, that might mean the industry, company size, or annual revenue. It also might mean understanding which team your product or solution would be most helpful to–and understanding that teams’ goals, key metrics, and pain points.

Another aspect of customer understanding is grasping how the target customer moves through the buyer’s cycle, and how decision makers and influencers consume information. With this information, marketers are able to build a B2B buyer persona and develop appropriate marketing techniques that hyper-target prospects. By doing so, you are able to deliver the right message at the right time, which drives conversions and increases ROI.

When drafting a B2B buyer persona, take into account the kind of business you are targeting and how it benefits your ideal customer.

Things to consider when identifying target companies:

Size

Annual revenue

Local, national, or global presence

Industry

Things to consider when identifying target teams:

Team responsibilities

Number of technical tools used daily

Key performance metrics

Goals

Barriers to success

Things to consider when identifying decision makers:

Title

Role

Level of influence

Supervisor

Smart marketers understand the necessity of identifying the key traits and characteristics of target customers. Easier said than done? Don’t worry! Follow this guideline and you’ll be an expert on your target customers.